Celtic’s defeat to Hibs was a hugely significant blow in their season, but Callum McGregor remains focused.
Locked in a three (or potentially four)-way title-race, the loss was Martin O’Neill’s first in either of his interim spells this season.
With eleven games still to be played, it’s far from over. Experienced Celtic captain McGregor knows this as much as anyone.
McGregor has been keen to defend his teammates from the ongoing noise from unhappy fans, as he has been discussing with the media.
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Callum McGregor’s message to teammates about Celtic fans vs Hibs
On the fan unrest, McGregor said after the game: “I think it’s having an impact on the whole club, if I’m honest.
“So, as players, we have to try and salvage what is there, harness it, get the most out of it and get the most out of each other.
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“And the players, it’s their life as well. They’re trying ever so hard, they’re working ever so hard. I said to them before the game, we have to give everyone something to get off their chairs about.
“So I said it at the start of the season, performances and wins will bring harmony back. And that’s the job of the players. Obviously everything else we can’t control.
“But the bit that we can control is trying as hard as you can, trying to play good football and trying to win football matches.
“And that’s been the message from me to the players the whole season. And I believe if we do that, and we do enough of it, then the harmony will come back.
“I mean, [league titles] are all sweet, but I think we’ve probably had more challenges than normal. A lot of different factors, external noise, etc.
“So yeah, if you can come and claw this one back, then I think it would be right up there.”
O’Neill blasted Celtic fan protests at the game before against Stuttgart, saying that those involved ‘needed their heads examined’.
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Celtic’s seven SPFL defeats this season
That loss to Hibs was Celtic’s seventh Scottish Premiership defeat of the season, and we’re only in February.
For context, that is four defeats more than fourth-placed Motherwell’s total of three, so it’s little surprise that Well boss Jens Berthel Askou is being linked with the Parkhead hotseat.
It’s also the same as their opponents on the day, Hibernian’s total.
Celtic have not lost more than seven games in any season since 38-match campaigns were introduced in 2000.
They haven’t done it at all since the 1993-94 season, during which the Hoops had three different managers and, crucially, had to play 44 league matches.
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